Interesting take from Lowe’s article:
To be honest, I’m confident too. Davis might be the one player I’d do a PG13 type deal and take the risk of him leaving if it meant you had a chance to win it all and a year to convince him to re-sign.
The way LA beats it (and they know this) is to get Davis to say he'll only re-sign in LA. All the good Celtics offers would come off the table, and Davis would go for some kind of Ingram+Hart+filler package.
The Celtics have no leverage if Davis, and Paul/LeBron's Klutch team, make it known he wants to play in LA. Basically it is up to him as to where he'll be traded.
This would be a trade though, and if the Celtics win, I don't think any stigma would be worse than joining a Lebron-led team.
By "their" leverage, I mean another team's, not Boston's. But you're right - Davis is in a very strong position to dictate terms. But what if NO says, well, we've got a better deal somewhere else...if you don't like it, you'll just have to play for us for a couple more years? Would Davis REALLY sit out in such a scenario?
HRB's (correct) point is that if Davis said he ONLY wanted to play in LA, NO wouldn't have a better deal anywhere else.
I get that. But that's only true if NO isn't willing to not trade him and instead keep him for the remainder of his contract (which is longer than Kawhi had left) and Davis is willing to sit out for an extended period of time. I mean, the guy still has two more years after this one left. He's not a pending free agent.
I mean Davis can say that, but that doesn't prevent Boston from dealing for him. If anything that scenario helps Boston by driving down the acquisition price.
Oh ok it didn't show that on the site I looked at. Thanks. That does make a difference.
Unfortunately, the Masai Gambit is easier to stomach when it's DeMar DeRozan going out, and not 2017 Playoffs Jaylen Brown. Your point is well-taken though.
That's not the point of that article. The point was "don't piss away your youth in a place where you can't win". And secondarily that a Lebron/Davis team would be awesome.
Literally the title of the article:
Exactly. And this LAL mythology that ESPN et al. are pushing seems to be convincing some people that it's inevitable, and KGs response to that is an understandable "fuck yeah!". Especially understandable since the big guy probably wishes that he had a few more bites at the apple himself and probably imagines how awesome it must be to play with an all time great and competitor like LBJ.
I think joining a defending champ Celtics team this summer, even via trade, would make it championship or bust in Year 1, which is a tough spot for him, especially because the team would have to be at least somewhat reconfigured to get him. And if he signals he won't sign long-term with Boston, this is the same scenario in which the Celtics' core has jelled into a title team, so that may be enough for Danny to back off. Hard to say, though.
I suspect come the end of the regular season, the Lakers will be shorter odds than the Celtics to win it all. Partly because the number of LAL bettors dwarfs that of other teams, partly on the Lebron factor, but also partly based on results.
https://celticswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/08/jayson-tatum-id-trade-me-too-for-anthony-davis/
Danny Ainge says that's nothing, he'd ritually sacrifice his own son, or sons, to trade for Anthony Davis.
"Yeah, you know, it's a tough business, you make some decisions, break some hearts, watch the light leave the eyes of your firstborn child as their blood spurts around you. But just look at what Abraham managed to pull off, being willing to sacrifice Isaac - he got the promise of numerous descendants and prosperity. It's important to keep our focus on our goals, and I think everyone involved understands it's a business."
Don’t forget Michael Porter — if he looks healthy and spry (no idea where he is right now, health wise) he instantly has high lotto-level trade value.
Yea, this isn’t good news for the Celtics. If they choose to deal him now it won’t be to Boston
I’d be surprised if they choose to deal him before the team that has the most assets to trade can join the bidding. His value won’t go down as long as he doesn’t issue a Lakers ultimatum.
Agreed.
Very real but if it is then we never really had a shot to begin with. If he’s dealt before the deadline, then that would be a good indication that this was all a script.
They'd have to include something like Chandler+a bit (korkmaz?) to make the salaries work. Still, I think if Fultz had panned out, this would be a real possibility. As is, I'm not sure about a team constructed around Butler/Davis/Embiid and then relying on Landry Shamet (as decent as he's been) to get them the ball.
